Echidna
Barney Rathnayaka
21 AUG–7 SEPT

Echidna delves into the boundaries of identity. Born in Sri Lanka, raised in New Zealand, and now living in Australia, the artist channels a life lived between cultures to reveal how our sense of belonging shifts and unravels over time.

The title references the echidna—a mammal that lays eggs—as an emblem of “in-between” states that defy easy categorisation. In the same spirit, the artist’s work blends illustration and contemporary expressionism, reflecting his struggle to integrate into a new society while preserving his heritage. By blending playful imagery with the themes of identity, he creates art that resonates with both a three-year-old and a purist alike.

Executed in acrylic on pre-stretched canvas, left unframed, these paintings embrace modernity’s desire for speed, clarity, and reproducibility whilst rejecting the notion of art as mere decoration